Former DBM undersecretary and Procurement Service executive director Lloyd Christopher Lao (File photo)
MANILA – Former Department of Budget and Management (DBM) undersecretary and Procurement Service (PS) executive director Lloyd Christopher Lao, who is implicated in the Pharmally mess, was arrested in Ecoland, Davao City on Wednesday, said Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Maj. Gen. Leo Francisco.
Lao has a standing warrant of arrest for graft issued by the Sandiganbayan First Division on Sept 12, which has a recommended bail of PHP90,000.
The suspect is now under the custody of the CIDG's Regional Field Unit in Davao Region.
The Office of the Ombudsman earlier approved the filing of graft charges against Lao and former Health secretary Francisco Duque III over the alleged irregular transfer of over PHP41.4 billion funds of the Department of Health (DOH) to the PS-DBM from March to December 2020.
The two officials were also embroiled in the controversial awarding of the multi-billion-peso contracts to the Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp. by the past administration, which became the subject of a Senate investigation.
The funds were intended for the immediate purchase of Covid-19 detection kits, nucleic acid extraction machines, mechanical ventilators, personal protective equipment (PPE), surgical masks, cadaver bags, and various test kits.
Lao is also implicated in the procurement of overpriced laptop computers for teachers of the Department of Education, which was earlier flagged by the Commission on Audit. (PNA)
